Package



' Sept. 28, '1943. c. .1. ELLIOTT 5 2,330,348

.. PACKAGE Fi l ed July 1, 1942 INV NTQR.

Charles I. llwofl.

A T T E] RNFY Patented Sept. 28, 1943 PACKAGE Charles I. Elliott, Sea Girt, N. .L, assignor to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application July 1, 1942, Serial No. 449,205

5 Claims.

My invention relates to packages and shipping containers.

The container for packaging fragile and sometimes heavy articles for shipment usually comprises a so-called inner container centered by wadding in a larger outer container. Shredded papers, excelsior and such wadding are heavy and not reliable, especially where the containers may become wet. Spacing members of various types have also been used to hold the sides and ends of the inner container from the sides and ends of the outer containerr Tension members, such as straps, cords and ropes, for suspending one container in the other, require specially constructed boxes and cost considerably in labor and material. Compression members for spacing the two containers are usually too rigid to afford the necessary cushioning of the inner container and are costly because they must be stapled or glued place.

An object of my invention is a shipping container that is light in weight, is inexpensive in construction, is easy to assemble, and is reliable.

Another object of my invention is an improved package in which an inner container is permanently yet yieldingly spaced on all sides and ends from an enclosing outer container.

The characteristic features of my invention are defined in the appended claims'and one embodiment thereof is described in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawing.

My nove l package comprises a rectangular outer container I and a rectangular inner container 2. The outer container comprises four rec- 'tangular panels 3 with end closures, such as h the package is made entirely of commercial paper board, cardboard or similar packaging material, and requires no special staples or fastening means. According to my invention paper board springs are placed between the container so that the end of the inner container is cushioned in different directions. The springs are attached to the ends of the inner container, and each spring may be made as a strap 9 placed across and attached to each end of the inner container. The center portion or panel ll) of the strap 15 pref- -width of the outer container.

erably of the size of the end of the inner container and is. firmly securedto it, preferably by being locked between the two pairs of the end flaps of the inner container when the two outer flaps are closed over and taped or glued down. Greased and accordion folded flaps with folded panels II at the ends of the straps extend equal distances laterally beyond the side edges of the strap panel ID and are equal in length to the The free ends l2 of the flaps preferably are displaced so that when loaded into the outer container the free ends ride in the end corners of the outer container. The fold Ila at the ends of the strap'panel is preferably about one-half the Width of the remaining folds so that the plane of the strap panel lies midway between the planes of the creases of the folds, and the distance from the planeof the strap panel to the creases is about equal to the length of the shoulder I3 beyond the side edges of the strap panel so that the ends and sides of the inner container will be spaced equal distances from the sides and ends of the outer container. The number of fold panels at each end of the strap panel is so chosen with respect to the thickness of the paper board used that the bulk of the folds will positively yet yieldingly center the inner container in its outer container. With the creasesof the folds bearing against the end flaps of the outer container, the inner container can move lengthwise short distances against the binding action of the folded paper board, but cannot come into contact with the ends of the outer container. Good results have been obtained in packaging heavy and rather fragile radio tubes in a container having an overall length, width and depth of about 1'7, 17 and 17 inches, respectively, and an inner container having a length, width and depth of 14, 14, and 14 inches, respectively,

with one and one-half inch spacing between all side panels and ends. In packages of this size, straps of corrugated jute paper board 1%; inch thick are used and are provided at their ends with four folds. In packaging articles, two of the flaps of the inner container are folded in and a strap panel (0 is placed over the two folded-in flaps, whereupon the two remaining flaps are folded over the strap panel and are secured in the usual way with glue or adhesive tape. The article to be packed is then placed in the other end of the inner container and a second strap panel is locked between the two pairs of end flaps. If desired the second strap may be placed at right angles to the first. By pressing the accordion folds against the sides of the inner container, the inner container is easily slipped into the outer container, and all that is necessary to complete the package is to fold in the four end flaps of the outer container and seal them with glue or adhesive tape.

If desired three, four or more containers graduated in size may be placed one within the other and spaced with my novel spacing accordion folds. By stocking a number of containers and straps of graduated sizes, the particular container best suited in size for the article to be packed may be chosen and one, two or more larger containers placed around the first to provide any desired amount of protection for the article.

My novel shipping container is light in weight, is inexpensive in construction, is easy to assemble and is reliable. My improved container firmly yet yieldingly spaces the article to be packaged from all side and ends of its enclosing outer container.

I claim:

1. A package comprising an inner container having four rectangular side panels, an outer container having four rectangular side panels,

said containers having end flaps, and mean for resiliently but firmly spacing the inner container from the sides and ends of the outer container, comprising a strap extending across and secured to each end of the inner container, the strap extending beyond the side panels of the inner container, the extended portions of the straps having accordion folds, the width of the straps beyond the sides of the inner container being equal to the width of the outer container, the junction between the folds and the strap panel being positioned intermediate the crease of the folds.

2. A package comprising an inner container having four rectangular side'panels and an outer container having four rectangular side panels, said containers having end flaps, and means for yieldingly spacing the inner container from the sides and ends of the outer container, comprising a paper board strap at each end of the inner container, the straps each having a fiat panel fitted to the ends of the inner container and each strap having flattened accordion'folds across the ends of the strap panel, the folds being pressed lightly together and lying between the opposed panels of the inner and outer containers and extending equal distances laterally beyond the side edges of the strap panel, and the plane of the strap panel being intermediate the creases of the folds.-

3. A package comprising an inner container and an outer container, the containers having rectangular side panels and end flaps, and means for yieldingly spacing the inner container from the sides and ends of the outer container comprising a paper board strap at each end of the inner container, the traps each having a flat rectangular panel fitted to the ends of the inner container, a plurality of creases across and parallel to each end of the strap panel, the first crease beyond the end of the strap panel being spaced from said end a distance less than the spacing between the remaining creases, aid remaining creases being substantially uniformly spaced, the straps being folded at the creases and positioned between opposing side panels of the inner and outer container.

4. A package comprising an inner container and an outer container, aid containers each having four rectangular side panels and end flaps, and means for yieldingly spacing the inner container from the sides and ends of the outer container, comprising two pairs of multiple folded paper-board springs at opposite ends of the inner container, one pair of said paper-board springs being secured to two opposite side panels and the other pair to the other two opposite side panels of the inner container, each of said springs comprising a fold panel projecting outwardly from the side wall of the inner container and having a plurality of reverse folds of substantially equal lengths extending parallel to and between the end edges of the inner container and the opposed side panel of the outer container to yieldingly support the inner container in spaced relation to the walls of said outer container and cushion one end of the inner container in a direction transverse to the folds of one pair of springs and the other end in a direction transverse to the folds of the other pair of springs.

5. A package comprising an inner container having four rectangular side panels and an outer container having four rectangular side panels, each of said containers having end closures, and means for yieldingly spacing the inner container from the sides and ends of the outer container, comprising a paper-board strap at each end of the inner container, the strap at one end being transverse to the strap at the other end, each strap comprising a flat panel extending across the end of the inner container with a fold panel at each end of said strap projecting beyond the side wall of said inner container, said fold panel being substantiall equal in width to the distance between opposite panels of said outer container and extendingequal distances laterally beyond the side edges of the flat panel, each fold panel having a plurality of reverse folds pressed lightly together and lying between the opposed panels of the inner and outer containers with the plane of the fiat panel of the strap intermediate the creases of the folds whereby the inner container is yieldingly supported against sidewise and endwise movement by said;fold panels and I the fold panels on opposite sides of one end of said inner container extend transversely of the fold panels on opposite sides of the other end of said inner container.

CHARLES I. ELIJOT'I. 

